Satanic insinuations in Salah

Question

What should I do to overcome Satanic insinuations during Salah?

Answer

All praise be to Allah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow him.

No one is safe from Satanic insinuations during Salah, and how difficult they are! The least of these insinuations is a moment of distraction that Satan takes from a person while performing Salah.

However, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) instructed us to the efficient medication in many Hadiths, of which:

First,the Hadith which Imam Muslim reported that`Uthman ibn Abu Al `Ascame to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger Allah, Satan intervenes between me and my Salah and it confounds my recitation of the Qur'an.

Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:That is (the doing of the Satan) who is known asKhinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah against it and spit three times to your left." He said:I did that and Allah dispelled that from me.

So, exert more effort to keep away these Satanic insinuations whenever you feel them. Moreover, you should act according that Hadith seeking refuge against Satan, spitting at your left hand side, stop thinking about these insinuations, seek the help of Allah (may He be Exalted), and do not despair.

It is reported inSahih Al BukhariandSahih Muslimon the authority ofAbu Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) that he narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Satan comes to one of you and says: Who created so-and-so? until it says: Who has created your Lord? So, when it inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts."

The meaning is to stop thinking about these thoughts, resort to Allah to turn that away from you, exert efforts to achieve that, and busy yourself with something else.

It was also reported inSahih Al BukhariandSahih Muslimon the authority ofAbu Hurayrahthat he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "When the call for Salah is made, Satan takes to his heels passing wind so that he may not hear the Adhan (the call for Salah) and when the call is finished it comes back, and when the Iqamah (the call for commencing Salah) is pronounced, Satan again takes to its heels, and when the Iqamah is finished it comes back again and tries to interfere with the person and his thoughts saying: "Remember this and that (which he has not thought of before Salah)", until the praying person forgets how much he has prayed. If anyone of you does not remember whether he has offered three or four Rak`ahs (units of Salah) then he should perform two prostrations of Sahu (forgetfulness) while sitting."

Second,resort to Allah (may He be Exalted) and beseech Him to turn away Satanic insinuations from you along with pondering over the recitation of the Qur'an and reflecting on the meanings ofAdhkar(invocations and Remembrances said at certain times on a regular basis) which you recite during Salah.

Third,recall that you are standing before Allah (may He be Exalted) and that Allah (may He be Exalted) knows your secret and public matters.

Fourth,do not think about Satanic insinuations and exerting efforts in turning away all things that distract your heart from pondering over Adhkar and cut the way of anything that distract your heart from submissiveness.

Fifth,You should know that performing Salah withoutKhushu`(the heart being attuned to the act of worship) causes a person to have no reward for Salah which is represented in preventing him from adultery and deniable acts.

So,the one who does not humble himself before Allah in Salah wastes the pleasure of talking to his Lord (may He be Exalted) which is the most delightful thing that a person feels.

Allah (may He be Exalted) praised those who humble themselves before Allah in their Salah, when He says: "Successful indeed are the believers.*Those who offer their Salât (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness." [Surat Al Mu'minun: 1-2].

Sixth,recite the Qur'an more frequently, especiallyAl Mu`awwidhatayn(SurahsAl-FalaqandAl-Nas),Ayat-ul-Kursy(the Qur'anic Verse of Allah's Chair, SurahAl-Baqarah, 2:255),Surat Al Fatihah, and recitingSurat Al Baqarahin the house because reciting it expels Satan from the house as was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him).

You also have to keep reciting the morning and the eveningAdhkar,Adhkarof sleeping, and others along with frequent beseeching Allah and resorting to Him to turn away Satan from you, and to ask Him to complete your Salah and faith, for He will not waste your hope.

Beware of despair from the mercy of Allah because He is the Most Merciful. "Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind to whom He wills. Truly, He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise." [Surat Yusuf: 100].

Seventh,sincere repentance and frequent asking for forgiveness because these Satanic insinuations may be due to some committed sins.

Eighth,be keen to empty your heart before commencing Salah from worldly affairs, physical needs, and all things that may concern you along with fighting anything that may distract the heart and cutting the way before anything that may distract you.

TheShaykhof IslamIbn Taymiyahsaid in "Majmu` Al Fatawa": As for the removal of things that may distract a person in Salah, it is fighting one's desires and pushing away anything that may distract the heart, such as thinking in things that will not help a person in Salah and thinking about the things that distract the heart from the purpose of Salah; each person according to his capability because the abundance of Satanic insinuations are due to the abundance of doubts and desires, attaching the heart with things that it loves most, or the abhorred things which the heart loves to turn away.

Ninth,attentiveness during Salah, and I advise you to refer to these two books "Glorifying the status of Salah" ofMuhammad ibn Nasr Al Marwazyand "Salah" ofIbn Al Qayyim.

Tenth,Ponder over what your are reciting during Salah or the recitation you listen to. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "(This is) a Book (the Qur'ân) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." [Surat Sad: 29].

He also says: "Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'ân, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?" [Surat Muhammad: 24].

You should recall that you are talking to your Lord (Glory be to Him) and see whatAbu Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah (Blessed and Exalted be He) said: "I have divided Salah into two halves between Me and My Servant, and My Servant shall receive what he asks. When the servant says: "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of mankind," Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: "The Most Compassionate, the Merciful," Allah the Most High says: My Servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: "Master of the Day of judgment," He (Allah) remarks: My Servant has glorified Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: "You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)," He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My Servant, and My Servant shall receive what he asks. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: "Guide us to the Straight Way.*The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray," He says: This is for My Servant and My Servant shall receive what he asks."

I ask Allah to turn away Satanic insinuation from you and to grant you and us submissiveness in Salah. Amen!